Movie Review: Daddy’s Home

Does the audience win when two stepdads compete for your laughs? -Steven Richard K

Nope.

Last January a video (from this movie) was released and “went viral.” The video was of Will Ferrell hitting a cheerleader in the face with a ball at a basketball game while drunk. The fact that this was all over the news in many different forms of media makes me want to applaud whoever was in charge of that one. Well done. That video was everywhere!

Now Daddy’s Home is out. Almost a year later.

I’m going into this movie with a significant disadvantage. You see, my parents still love each other. I am not from a broken home. I go to one house for Christmas. Mom and Dad live in the same house and still kiss each other. This makes me a member of a minority because most people have parents that are not together.

I have to assume the studio putting out this movie thought about that before they green lit it. Is there any way I will be able to understand what these characters are going through? What’s it like to be a product of a broken household? Do those children still have the ability to feel love? How come God hates those kids?

—

Daddy’s Home is not for me. Probably because I come from a loving household.

I almost laughed like 4 or 5 times. There were a few times that tickled me. People in the audience seemed to enjoy it. Unfortunately I didn’t. This movie was not the brand of humor I enjoy. The stuff that was supposed to be funny I did not find funny. Oh well.

Will Ferrell died twice during the movie but thanks to movie magic it turned out that he was just fine.

Hannibal Buress was great. He was a house guest in the movie and had quite a few good lines. Also Bill Burr popped in at the end he was the best part of the movie. (If you haven’t seen his Netflix special you should, it’s great.)

At one point this thing happens where Wahlburger ends up booking a spot as an announcer on Ferrel’s smooth jazz channel. He sings a jingle. They didn’t use his voice. Didn’t Marky Mark used to sing? Was the fact that it wasn’t his voice supposed to be a joke? Yeah? Oh. I get it. It wasn’t his voice “ha.”

This movie was a long commercial for the Ford Flex. They had a few jokes around it in the beginning and in the end. Glad I didn’t buy it. Almost did. This movie had quite a few product placements, and since this was a middle of the road comedy it wouldn’t offend the people who paid to be in it.

Oddly the ending was satisfying. The combination of heartstrings being pulled with the right mix of pop music made the ending good.

TLDR: 1.5/5. When this comes on cable on a Sunday morning and you’re hung over as hell maybe watch it. A couple kinda funny parts and a satisfying ending almost make it worth your time.